Final answer:
The use of prophetic words like 'shall' and 'will' often suggests a threatening and ominous tone, especially when used to signify certainty about dire outcomes if actions are not taken. This language is intended to create a sense of urgency and to raise awareness about potential future perils. Therefore, the correct answer is C) Threatening and ominous language.
Step-by-step explanation:
The use of prophetic word choices such as 'shall' and 'will' in a text typically implies a sense of inevitability or certainty about future events. When analyzing whether this language is threatening and ominous, encouraging and empowering, neutral and objective, or humorous and lighthearted, it is important to consider the context in which these words are used. In cases where the language is used to raise awareness of potential perils or to indicate a dire situation needing change, the tone can be more accurately described as threatening and ominous. This is because the writers often use these words to present issues that require urgent attention, thus creating a somber or foreboding atmosphere. Alternatively, the same words can be empowering if they are used to suggest positive and assured outcomes brought about by taking necessary actions.
The subject of the question seems to relate to the analysis of language and its effects on the reader. It touches upon how language can be used to meet or challenge conventional expectations in rhetorically effective ways. Furthermore, it emphasizes the importance of considering how language can limit or liberate thoughts and feelings, and how it can serve as a powerful tool to exercise control or power. Phrases can become culturally significant and evolve in their meanings over time, as seen in examples like 'Make America Great Again'.
Thus, the correct answer to the student's question would be C) Threatening and ominous language, considering the use of 'shall' and 'will' in a context that indicates warning about future events or conditions.